


The Lunch Date

by blkaryaa



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Dating, F/M, Humor, Meeting the Parents, POV Nyota Uhura, Tellarites
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-07-24 11:52:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16174520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blkaryaa/pseuds/blkaryaa
Summary: Nyota gets ready to have lunch with Spock and Sarek to discuss her relationship with Spock. Things happen.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhmmm, so this is the very first piece of fiction I've written in over 20 years. Please be gentle with me and it lol. Comment and critique at will, but no need to be rude. Unbeta'd! Enjoy and feel free to offer suggestions as to where it should go.

An evocative cello rings out, followed by more strings and gritty drums.

Nyota slowly opens her eyes, and listens to the music for a couple of minutes as she slowly acclimates to being awake.

"Computer turn off alarm. Lights at 65%. What is the time on the space station? What is the weather expected to be like today in Telemachus - Capital City, Tellar Prime?"

_The time is now 5:03 am. The temperature in Telemachus - Capital City, Tellar Prime is currently 18 degrees Celsius, partly cloudy. The Associated Tellarite Weather Service forecasts a high of 27 degrees Celsius with a low of 20 degrees Celsius. There is a 35% chance of rain._

Nyota groaned, and closed her eyes once again. She had never been a morning person, but her days at the Academy forced her to embrace getting up early and utilize every single second she could in order to stay on top of her classes and extracurriculars. 15 years later she still didn't like getting up before 9, but she appreciated the ability to get errands done early in the day so she would be free to spend time on more pleasurable endeavors for the remaining hours she was awake.

Sighing, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slide her feet into the purple sehlat slippers that were by her bed _. Gatdamn this hair is itchy_ , she thought, scratching at the Kitenge print scarf wrapped around her hair.

For what seems like the hundredth time in the last three months, she questioned the wisdom in paying half a month's salary for the gene therapy that allowed her hair to grow faster and longer. She loved her natural shoulder length hair, its length and kinkiness lending itself to a variety of hair styles that she always had fun experimenting with. The decision to pay the exorbitant fees for longer and straighter hair had come after many hours of discussion and meditation.

Early in her posting on the Enterprise, she spent countless evenings in the ship's library learning about the cultures and communities of the senior crew and her communications department. As a communications officer, she thought it was important to learn as much as she could about the people she would be surrounded by, because learning about new cultures always made her day brighter and as a way to make the people around her know that she cared and respected them enough to go beyond surface details. She learned of the farming communities in early America, food rations during wartime Russia, the elegance and art of fencing. Her nights were filled with the proper way to cure and ferment scotch, the correct way to tie and wear an ascot, learning how to dance like a Coridan - fast and slightly offbeat in five inch heels. The thing that caught her interest the longest was pre-Surakian Vulcan style and fashion. The idea that the stoic and logical Vulcan people could have once been so passionate, so violent, so **emotional** really caught her heart. She had become hyperfixated on the fashions and beauty of the ancient Vulcan people as she researched their armor plated dresses and robes with secret pockets for poisons. And the hair? The hair was absolutely gorgeous. Long and elaborate for both women and men, styled with jewels and daggers and dangerously sharp needles. Beautiful in its deadliness.

Sometimes during slow days on the bridge she would stealthily gaze at Spock at his science station and imagine him with long hair. She would picture him in Pre-Reform times, with long hair and a line of pierced ears and nude with only a loin cloth to cover him. Just fantasizing about her Spock being wild and free got her so wet that on occasion she had to take a break from her station and quickly run to her room to use the mini vibrator Gaila brought her for her 30th birthday. One time Spock stealthily followed her to her room telling Kirk that he needed to check on the science labs and snuck in her room just as she was turning on the little unit. In an instant the vibrator was thrown to the ground, Spock's mouth was on her clit, and the next 8 minutes gave her one of the most satisfying sexual experiences in her entire life. In the post orgasmic glow, Spock admitted that with his superior Vulcan olfactory glands he could smell her arousal, and every time she took a "coffee break" when she was aroused like that, he knew what she was doing.  She was supremely embarrassed, but Spock told her that on those days she spent 25% more time covertly glancing at him, and it was logical to find one's mate aesthetically and sexually attractive. Even knowing that, she attempted to better control her hormones and fantasies while she was at work but to little avail. She would never admit it out loud, but she kind of thought the modern Vulcan hairstyle was a little...weird? Awkward? Unsettling? _I understand that Surak set Vulcan onto the path of peace and balance, but he really pulled the wool over their eyes with that haircut,_ she chuckled to herself. If she and Spock ever decided to take their relationship to the next level and initiate a telepathic bond, she had no idea how she was going to hide her slightly heretical ideas about his people's hair.

She sighed a tiny sigh, coming back to the present. She and Charlene had debated back and forth for hours whether 1) it was patronizing to wear her hair in a Vulcan style for Spock's parents 2) it was an insult to her heritage to genetically change her hair so it would be longer and straighter 3) it was worth spending so many credits to get longer hair versus opting for a weave or a wig. Ultimately she had decided to go with the gene therapy, as she had the money to do it, she could always reverse the change, and lastly she wanted to honor the culture of the man whom she loved and cared for.

She decided against the wigs and weaves for a couple of reasons. One, she had never had long hair in her life, and she was curious how she would look and feel with it. Two, and more importantly, she had embarrassed the shit out of herself one post exam weekend back at the academy. Four Romulan ales, two Cardassian sunrises, and one vodka and cranberry had completely obliterated her inhibitions, and she had ended up on the hood of a police hover car, humping the window and waving her electric pink wig around like a helicopter. Only her best friend Gaila's Orion pheromones had kept her out of jail, and she had been so mortified when she finally woke up the next evening that she swore off of wigs for a looonnnng time. (She had also promised herself she would never drink again, but that promise was broken quite quickly at the USC First Contact party the next weekend.) ( _Gawd those Andorian antennae_ , reminisced Nyota with a small smile.)

 _Fuck, let me get to it_ , thought Nyota as she slowly rose and stretched her arms. Walking to the bathroom she instructed the computer to turn the bathroom light to 90%, and grabbed her sonic toothbrush and started cleaning her mouth. Mouth cleansed, she undressed quickly and jumped in the shower. Letting the sonic waves cleanse the sleep off of her body, Nyota starts to slowly feel more awake as the gentle waves pulse against her body. Stepping out of the small enclosure, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body.

Feeling refreshed, she applied the Bolian face moisturizer/sunscreen that Christine recommended. Nyota had to admit that she really liked the beige colored humectant so far, as it made her skin feel both softer to the touch and firmer in appearance. It was worth the slightly nefarious means by which she and Christine had to go through to get it delivered to the ship. _Thank goodness for Scotty's dark connects across the galaxy_ , thought Nyota as she headed back to her main living area, _we'd never be able to get anything besides standard federation cosmetics without 'em_.

Standing in front of her dresser Nyota contemplates what she should wear for her morning run. Being practical she normally opts for standard issue Starfleet shorts and t-shirt, but she's feeling nervous and insecure today. Today is not a day for practicality. Today is a day to show the world who she was and stand tall in her existence. She decides to wear her favorite black leggings and a slightly skimpy black and turquoise cross back sports bra. Adding white socks and black sneakers to her outfit, she looks in the mirror and breathes deeply. _Not bad_ , she thinks. A bit more skin then she normally shows, but she wants to feel feminine and attractive today. Sarek is imposing and terrifying, and if he rejects her and Spock's relationship she wants to at least feel pretty during her rejection.

She carefully unwraps her sleep scarf and places it on her bed. Grabbing a comb, she carefully combs down her hair, observing hair that meets her thighs in length. For the past couple months she has been carefully hiding the length, keeping it in wraps and scarves. She wanted to surprise Spock when they go to out to brunch today, so she tried to camouflage its length under charmingly patterned scarves and wraps for the past couple months but her Vulcan is uncannily sneaky and observant. She is pretty sure that he has an idea what she's been doing with her hair, but he has kept blessedly quiet. Since today is the day of the meet, she can finally let the hair out, but a bun makes more sense than wearing it down as she sweats profusely when she exercises.   

She combs it all toward the top of her head, and places her hair in a sleek high bun. Outfit and hair done, she takes one last look in the mirror. _Ass like woah_ , she thinks glancing at and squeezing her backside. She had been fastidious with her diet and level of exercise over the past year. Getting older had forced her to pay closer attention to her health and body, and she had to admit the care spent on her body had resulted in amazing results. A nearly 7 kg weight loss, an overall general improvement in her state of being, high praise from Bones at her yearly checkup, and the beginning stages of six pack abs all had her pretty much floating on air regarding her health. Physically she feels pretty, desirable, and ready to meet the world. She only hopes this feeling can last all day, and it can eclipse the sense of being out of her depths that she currently feels mentally.

"Computer turn off lights. What is the current space station time?"

_The time is now 5:41 am._

_Qu'vatlh 1 _how did she end up behind schedule already?! Shaking her head, she grabs her headphones from the table by the door and heads out towards the track.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Qu'vatlh - Fuck in Klingon. https://www.kli.org/tlhIngan-Hol/1997/May/msg00198.html


	2. Chapter 2

Walking to the section of the space station that holds the outdoor nature section, she mentally calculates everything she has to do before she meets Spock to beam down to Tellar Prime. Complete her run, grab a quick breakfast, grab some food for Charlene cause she knows her best friend will be hungry when she comes over to help her get ready, shower, do her hair, do her makeup, dress, make sure to grab the gifts she procured, have a mini meltdown as she's about to meet one of the most powerful Vulcans living and she's asking for permission to date his son.....arrrrghhhh!

Her significant other would say worry is illogical, and she wouldn't disagree, but she's nervous. Real nervous. Although Spock has been working on repairing the relationship between himself and his father, they are still a bit uneasy with each other. Secretly, she suspected Spock was still on achievement mode, still thinking that a long list of honors and awards would bring his father around and ease the tension between the two. After a few private subspace conversations with Lady Amanda, she came to the realization that Spock's father just wanted his son back, that his anger at Spock was due to his fear of his son turning like Sybok, just another _V'tosh ka'tur 1 and an embarrassment to the S'chn T'gai clan._

__

Fortunately, Sarek was slowly realizing that Spock was more Vulcan than most, that his dedication to logic and the Vulcan way was more stringent than even many of his fellow High Council members and his fears of Spock becoming like Sybok were unfounded. After the incident on the Enterprise when they were journeying to the Babel conference, Spock and Sarek had begun to talk weekly, though it took much prodding on both ends from Amanda and Nyota.  

__

Mentally shaking her head, Nyota walks into the outdoor space. The view is magnificent. The Tellarite people were pig-like humanoids who enjoyed being outdoors and the nature area in the space station near their home planet reflected that. The area was located at the top of space station, with 360 degree views of Tellar Prime and the stars and planets beyond. The expanse and mystery of a view like that would have been breathtaking enough alone, but the Tellarite designers had made the common area into a lush oasis. The area had none of the harsh artificial day-lighting that the space station had, instead spheres dispersing aesthetically pleasing muted glows were strategically placed throughout the open area, creating enough light to navigate throughout the area, but soft enough for the expanse of space to be appreciated without excessive light pollution. With the addition of trees, shrubs, flowers, and cute flying bioluminescent insects an atmosphere that was almost magical had been conjured, making it feel better placed in an elven wonderland rather than an over 120 year old space station.

__

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, smelling hints of fresh forest and an almost Earthlike pine scent. Smiling, she opened her eyes and continued walking to the sole running track in the space station as she places her headphones on and selects her morning playlist. It was impossible to feel stressed in a calming space like this. For the next 45 minutes or so, she would leave her fears at the door, and enjoy the release of physical activity, a relaxing environment, and good, pounding music.

__

 As she went through her pre-running stretches using one of the levitating fitness bars near the track, Nyota glances around to see who else decided to blow off some steam at this ungodly hour in the morning. She sees a couple of Tellarites slowly jogging around the track, a group composed of a mixture of non-humans and humans performing a surprisingly high intensity aerobic set in a meadow near a small pond ( _wow young Ensign Pico has a really muscular body,_ mused Nyota as she glanced at the Caitian engineer performing a series of high kicks and jabs), and one lone male figure with short black hair and a softly glowing pink headband running smoothly around the track.

__

_Oh Hikaru,_ thinks Nyota with small smile. When he exercised, he always wore a headband to keep the sweat out of his eyes. Pavel had given him that ridiculous hot pink glow in the dark headband as a birthday gag gift a couple of years ago. Although it was meant as a joke, Hikaru loved it so much that he brought a complete set of glow in the dark headbands, and wore one every time he did any form of exercise, which was nearly daily. 

__

Pre-workout stretching done, Nyota walks to the track and starts a slow jog. She liked to take it slow initially, using the time to slowly acclimate her body to the trail and the physical sensation of her body being in motion. She also enjoyed the pounding of her feet on the surprisingly soft recycled plastic "wood" pathway here in the space station, a welcome change from the mechanical whirring of the treadmills on the _Enterprise_. She normally takes it slow for about 10 minutes, then gradually eases into a rhythm that produces a nine minute mile average. Not over the top in intensiveness, but definitely a heart pounder and at a level she can maintain for 45 minutes without feeling like she's dying.

__

Still in warm-up mode, she jogs leisurely and enjoys her surroundings. While she is feeling apprehensive about her upcoming lunch date, it's impossible not to fall into the beautiful surroundings. She gradually ups her speed, and her mind only focuses on the repetitive motion of her feet, the upbeat music playing in her ears, the wide expanse of space and stars floating above her head. So involved in the moment and the miles passing under feet, she misses the sound of a single pair of feet running steadily closer and closer behind her.

__

"Good morning Lieutenant," a calm voice from her right intones.

__

"Hikaru! You scared me half to death!"

__

Eyes shining, the handsome helmsman cocks a sly grin Nyota's way. "My apologies Lt., I would never try to scare you as you run. I know you are always aware of your surroundings and would never let down your guard in an unfamiliar area. You are too much of a perfect Starfleet officer to allow yourself to get taken unawares, and I admire your ability to stay vigilant and primed for anything that may occur."

__

"That obvious, huh?"

__

"Only to those that know you."

__

"What are your plans for the day?" Nyota asks, moving the subject off of her and onto Sulu. "We have two days left of leave, and I know you and the boys plan on getting in some trouble."

__

"Me, trouble? Never! Myself, Chekhov, and Lt. Riley _are_ planning on taking a class on Tellarite mud wrestling this morning. Allegedly the Tellarites use a mud that has a sizeable numbing effect, making only the most physically able beings able to secure victory. I look forward to smashing Chekhov and Riley's faces together in conquest."

__

"I don't know how you manage to get sweet Chekhov into these sort of things. Riley is half caveman, so no surprise there, but Pavel is only 19. He's so sweet and moody just like any other teenager. An exceedingly genius teenager, but teenager nonetheless," pants Nyota.

__

"Your dear sweet Pavel is the biggest hoe this side of the galaxy. He may be young, but he makes even the most hardened lothario look like an amateur. This experience is going to be great for our young navigator, forcing him to be more well rounded, or else he would spend the entire leave getting his ass eaten by some married Tellarite mother. Probably in one of the kid's beds," laughs Sulu.

__

Giggling, Nyota states "Pavel _is_ quite the ladies man. I had to comfort Ensign Givenian for hours after they broke up, and by the next morning she was back in love with him. Even after breaking up for good the second time, she still calls him her first love and I secretly think she thinks that she'll never find a love like that again. Ah, to be young and cute and naive like that again," she sighs.

__

"See?! Our young ensign only wants two things. One, to be knowledgeable about anything and everything relating to spaceships, and two, sample every type of sentient being from each federation and non-federation planet this side of the quadrant. I believe that having the ability to use his body for more than fucking would be a good personality builder for him, and help ease his way onto being on more away teams. He has expressed a desire to want to go planetside more often, but his physical fitness is lacking, and I believe it's one reason that he's been unable to qualify for more away teams. I think getting him interested in something physically stimulating will help him both professionally and personally," muses Sulu.

__

 "Uhm, is Hikaru Sulu showing a bit of paternal affection for our young charge? The same Hikaru whom the rumor mill states wrote Suck My Balls in invisible ink on his Intro to Stellar Cartography final? The same Hikaru who spent two months cleaning the Stellar Cartography lab after said stunt? The same Hikaru who placed a dead mouse in the walls of previously stated lab and resulted in a five day closure of the lab as they fumigated it? My, my, my how times have changed. Somebody's getting oldddd."

__

"I have no comment on those malicious accusations. I will state that it is utterly embarrassing that a commander who can't handle something as small as one of his speed records being broken shouldn't take it out on said cadet who broke the record, and as such it is the civic duty of all involved to make sure that he is removed from any leadership postings or at least made to feel uncomfortable in his day to day life. Regarding Pavel, he does remind me of a younger, less handsome, more flimsy me, and as such it is my responsibility to make sure he doesn't make the same mistakes I made when I was a young ensign."

__

"Whatever you say daddy," smiles Nyota.

__

"Jesus Christ Uhura, you can't call me that. I might have to kill Spock and take you for myself. Then Sarek would get involved and all of the sudden I've created an interstellar incident between two Federation planets."

__

Nyota looks at him with a small smile but doesn't say anything. Minutes pass as they jog in silence, both of them reminiscing on what could have been. They had had an easy friendship from the start, lunches with the rest of the bridge crew and shopping trips to buy plants for him and jewelry for her when they had leave planetside. When they first met, she had been single and he had been dating a non-gendered being from J’naii. Nyota had carried a tiny flame in her heart for him, but he was dating another being and she would never interfere with another person's relationship, even if she did feel that Pokar was dumb and selfish and Hikaru was too good for the tall engineer.

__

So she wished them good luck and encouraged them to work out their communication problems. She listened to them make out during trips to Starbase 12 and played games of scrabble and boggle when they had to observe space silence and he couldn't talk to Pokar via subspace communications. They broke up, and then she started dating Spock and her whole world pivoted. She suspected that Hikaru wanted to ask her out in the small period of time while they both were single, but he never did. She still loved Hikaru, still appreciated his classic good looks, his intelligence, his ability to take command of a room with his calm stillness. But the potential for any sort of romantic relationship had passed, as she was firmly enthralled with Spock and he had just started dating a human chef named Ben.

__

"Anyways," Hikaru finally said "Today is the lunch date with Ambassador Sarek, right?"

__

"Right."

__

"How are you feeling?"

__

"Like shit."

__

"As your boyfriend would say, 'like shit' is vague and could have variable meanings. I say again, how precisely are you feeling?"

__

"I feel...I feel" stammered the ship's head of Communications "I feel like I'm setting myself up for failure. I feel like from the get-go I knew I wasn't good enough to date Spock and now his father is going to in very well defined language elucidate exactly why we shouldn't date and how I am undeserving of someone like Spock. I feel small and human and out of my depths. I feel nervous Hikaru. More nervous than any mission we've been on, more nervous than when I've had phasers set to kill pointed at me, more nervous than being held prisoner by Khan. I want this to go well so badly, and I don't know what else I can do to accomplish that except be born Vulcan, which obviously is not a choice. I can only be me and hope that's enough."

__

"Nyota, you got this. You are you, which is more than enough. You're beautiful and smart, fearless and even-tempered, and you make a nyama choma2that can literally burn the roof of off a motherfucker's mouth. You're kind and patient, and willing to help even the most stubborn ensign with a problem they've been mulling over. In a word you're divine, and if the Ambassador can't see that it'll be his loss. I can't imagine Spock giving you up because his father doesn't approve, but even if does, so what? You'll be snapped up in no time, and the next man will surely appreciate the goddess you are and never let you go."

__

Nyota looks slightly taken aback but stays silent. They jog for several moments in silence as she thinks over his comments.

__

"Well, I can only hope you're right. I am going to give it my best and let fate decide the rest. Thank you for your kind words Hikaru, my life has been enhanced greatly by your presence and wisdom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For everything."

__

"Aw, don't get all sappy and saccharine on me. Where's the woman who challenged and beat our own local lush at a shot drinking game?"

__

"Oh, she's here. I told Scotty that I had made many a man cry with my ability to take a shot, but he didn't believe me. Sometimes hard heads need a soft reminder of things they don't know. He learned after that, and never has any being on the ship dared to challenge Nyota Uhura to a drinking game," she laughed. "Thanks again for the talk. Please don't go too hard on Riley and Chekhov, they consider having to use a Jeffries tube when the lift is down heavy exercise."

__

"Anytime Uhura, you know I'm always here if you need an ear to talk to. As far as Pavel and Riley, I'll start slow but after that no promises. They know what happens when you get me in a competition."

__

With that, Sulu gives a nod and a wink and resumes his more intense running. Nyota continues her jog and watches him pull away, his pink headband bobbing slightly as he moves. She touches the time button on her headphones.

__

_The time is now 6:25 am._

__

_Hmmm_ , thinks Nyota. _One more song and I'll cool down and then go grab some food._ Pushing the next button to start a new song, she exhibits a burst of speed faster than any she has displayed thus far, pushing herself to one last spurt before she tapers off and starts jogging back to the levitating bars where she can cool down.  

__

 

__

 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] V'tosh ka'tur - Vulcan for "Vulcan without logic". It refers to those Vulcans who have rejected Surak's path of logic and turned to a life of emotion. http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/V%27tosh_ka%27tur
> 
> [2] Nyama choma - Roast meat. A Kenyan food traditionally composed of sheep or goat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter. Admittedly not a lot of meat in here, but there's a certain non-canon ship that I live for, and I wanted to set that relationship into motion.

Walking briskly towards the cafeteria, Nyota enjoys the post exercise high she always gets after any extended period of physical activity. Although she didn't savor exercising like Sulu, she enjoyed the feeling of moving her body and the gentle ache after she exercised was an added bonus.

Stepping into the brightly lit eating lounge, Nyota faintly smells coffee and baked pastries. Realizing that she is hungry, she heads towards the replicator banks peeking around at the bleary eyed people eating breakfast. She sees a group of ensigns from the Enterprise eating together on the far end of the room and acknowledges them with a smile. On the other end of the room, a group of Tellarites are engaged in a friendly quarrel and seem oblivious to the rest of the inhabitants of the area.

Tellarites were known throughout the galaxy for their capacity to squabble, and many a tourist had made the mistake of asking a Tellarite some benign, unassuming question only to be caught in a 15 minute argument about the quality of human vs. Tellarite bathrooms or the proliferation of Terran honey on Federation foods. Nyota chuckles to herself, and makes sure to give them a wide berth as she heads towards her destination.

She sees the Enterprise's Chief Engineer seated with a woman she doesn't recognize, and raises one eyebrow in an unconscious imitation of her boyfriend as she sees the intimate position they are in. Scotty looks slightly uncomfortable, but the redheaded woman does not seem to notice. Nyota slows her stride down to hear the conversation as she passes them.

"So, like, the sonic shower is my bathroom is acting kind of wonky, I would love if you were able to come and take a look at it? I'll be available this evening at 19:00 hours? No, make that 20:00 hours, I have to meet with my department head to discuss some tests. It's like kind of important as I'm forced to use the showers in the gym, and I kind of hate using those public units to clean my body?" the buxom redhead states with an over exaggerated lilt to her tone and wiggle of her body.

"Aye laddie, did you put in a service request through the S.S.R.S.[1]? Our department can fix any problem that happens on the ship, but you need to go through the propah channels."

"I didn't yet cause I don't know how to use the interface. Would you show me how? Being new to the ship, I'm unfamiliar with many of the systems as my previous postings were on science vessels."

"Did you ask your commanding officer for help? Ah just don't have time to...." Scotty's voice gradually fades to background noise as Nyota nears the banks.

 _Uhmmm, Lene is going to die when she hears about this! I told that girl she's gotta put her intentions out there, Scotty is too much of a great catch to stay single forever_ , mulls Nyota. She had been aware of her friends crush on the Scottish engineer for going on three months now, but Charlene was shy. Nyota told Lene that the interest seemed mutual, and that Scotty held onto her every word whenever they conversed, but Lene was still unsure. Lene was quiet and had a lean, petite frame that she had been teased endlessly about as a child. As as an adult she had grown curves and was generally considered an attractive woman, but Charlene was self conscious about her body. She was hesitant to date and often required much prodding from friends and family to even interact with the opposite sex.  

Every time she and Scotty came into contact with each other outside of work, Charlene would find an excuse to be elsewhere and run as fast as socially acceptable out of the area. Nyota had witnessed it once, and watched her friend disappear faster than a freshly made plate of Gagh placed in front of a squadron of Klingons fresh out of a winning battle. Nyota was astounded. How could they ever start dating if Lene ran away every time the opportunity for non-work came up?

For the past month, she had been pondering how to get the two together for a date, but as of yet had not stumbled upon any plans with a high probability of succeeding. _Once this day is concluded, something to continue to mull over_ , thought Nyota.

Reaching the replicator banks, she programs in yogurt with granola and a side of toast with peanut butter for herself, and an omelet with vegetables and mushrooms for Charlene. She also programs a large carafe of ice water for the both of them to share, and finally a healthy sized bowl of almonds to snack on as the morning progressed.

With a soft woosh, the replicator doors open and Nyota's food is presented to her. Stacking the plates of food together, she gingerly places the water on the top of the mountain of plates, and hopes that she can complete the walk to her room on the starbase without incident.

Turning carefully towards to the door, she begins her journey back to her room. Seeing Scotty still engaged with the young redhead, she passes them by and mentally giggles at the look of consternation on his face. Glancing up as Nyota reaches him, a smiling Nyota mouths "I'll catch up with you later!" as Scotty pleadingly looks to her to extract him from the verbose young woman. Seeing Nyota's apologetic smile, he slowly deflates and nods. The redhead misses the entire interaction between, so intent on flirting with Scotty. Scotty sighs, and tries to look interested in the conversation. Nyota chuckles softly, and continues walking very carefully towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] S.S.R.S. - Starfleet Service Request System. The system used to request maintenance in Starfleet occupied building and ships. I totally made this up lol. (There's gotta be a system to request repairs right? I'm still digging into the Star Trek world, so I have yet to see how something as mundane as fixing a shower or oiling an automated door is requested on a starship.)


End file.
